California State Polytechnic University Pomona
(a) Sponsored International Conference on Nonviolence/Ahimsa and the Quality of Life
In 2006, the Modis with the JVCF were the sponsors of the International Conference on Nonviolence: Ahimsa and the Quality of Life at the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences at Cal Poly. The event was opened by J. Michael Ortiz, President, Cal Poly, and Barbara J. Way, Dean, the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences. In its various discussions, happiness by nonviolence, the effects of reinventing the quality of life, work ethics, inner peace and oneness of God, along with discussing the philosophies of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, etc, and implementing it all in today’s world of science, technology and advancements!
(b) Shri Shantinath Endowed Chair in Ahimsa Studies
Endowed by the Modis through the JCVF in collaboration with Sandhya and Prem Jain and Rekha and Bipin Shah, the Shri Shantinath Endowed Chair in Ahimsa Studies at the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences of Cal Poly Pomona in November of 2020.
Named after one of the 24 revered Tirthankars, the name itself means the head/master of peace. The supporters established this Chair to pave the way for global peace – for all, for every organism alive.
(c) Supporter of Ahimsa Center
Cal Poly established a center of peace, the Ahimsa Center, in 2003-2004 with immense support received from the Jain community across the North America. Headed by Tara Sethia, working on the concept of non-violence by Mahatma Gandhi, the department teaches its students about the ways some legendries adopted the concept of nonviolence in history. The department considers it critical for its students to learn to innovate the space of nonviolence to make it indispensable for the advancing world.